Cala Homes to build houses at Hillside School in Aberdour

Fife Council twice rejected proposals to develop land at Hillside School but planning permission in principle was granted on appeal by the Scottish Government in August 2021.

The owner, Anne Harvey, was given the green light to build 125 homes which would provide the funds to build a new school on another part of the 135 acre site.

Little has happened since but a meeting has been set up and a statement confirmed: "Hillside School and Cala Homes are seeking to bring forward planning applications to relocate the current school to a new high quality educational campus on land in the northwest of the site.

New homes on land next to Hillside School in Aberdour will help to pay for a modern replacement on another part of the site. (Image: Newsquest)

"This will be enabled through the delivery of residential dwellings by Cala Homes."

Cala are already building 85 new homes at the eastern edge of the village and the statement added: "While not a statutory requirement, we believe in engaging with the community to inform you of our proposals and receive feedback.

"We will be holding this public consultation event at which you will have the opportunity to have your say and inform the proposals, prior to the submission of a planning application to Fife Council."

Hillside opened in 1983 and it is an independent residential school for boys aged eight to 18 with additional support needs.

The current building is more than 200-years-old.

After an inspection in January the Care Inspectorate ordered urgent improvements to be carried out or risk the school being shut down.

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This week's statement from Hillside and Cala said: "With the school’s infrastructure standing in a deteriorating condition, the future of the school was insecure.

"These proposals, enabled through the delivery of new housing by Cala Homes, will deliver a new high quality educational campus, which will continue to provide the existing curriculum to its pupils in a new fit for purpose facility.

"In addition to the school, residential accommodation for the children and sports and leisure facilities has been set aside.

The current school building at Hillside is more than 200-years-old. (Image: Newsquest)

"Industrial workshops are proposed to give pupils vocational training to help with the transition from school to working life, as well as other local employment opportunities in the form of starter units."

The plans were first put forward in 2017 and were met with 461 objections.

The second application, in 2018, attracted 352 objections.

Both were refused by the council, the latter in February 2020, due to "inadequate information" on which to take a decision.

An appeal to the government in April of that year was eventually approved in August 2021.

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Local councillor David Barratt described the decision as "bizarre" given that the council and Sepa had both voiced concerns about flooding at the site.

And Aberdour Community Council chairperson Ian Fleming, who had previously highlighted community fears about the impact the development would have on facilities such as the school and GP surgery, called it "deeply frustrating".

The developers said 25 per cent of the new units will be affordable homes and the scheme will also offer landscape features, amenity space, pedestrian and cycle ways, and car parking.

The consultation event takes place in Aberdour Community Centre, Shore Road, from 4pm to 8pm on Monday April 15.